Pendulum Music

In many ways you could describe Pendulum Music as audible sculpture. The objects involved are the swinging microphones and the loudspeakers. I always set them up quite clearly as sculpture. It was important that the speakers be laid flat on the floor, which is obviously not usual in concerts. You could also call Pendulum Music a kind of performance art. It can be performed best on small, inexpensive loudspeakers where you get a series of ‘bird calls’ and I much prefer that to hi-fi shriek. Pendulum Music should be short and amusing.


—Steve Reich